On April 26, 2025, the First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleksandr Korniienko, conducted a working visit to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to mark the 39th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
During the visit, Ukrainian Parliament representatives, government officials, international organizations, the State Agency of Ukraine for the Management of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and nuclear safety experts took part in the event.
«39 years have passed since one of the greatest tragedies and mistakes in human history—the Chernobyl disaster. An explosion occurred, and people went into the fire, fulfilling their duties. They paid with their lives to save hundreds of thousands of others. Eternal glory!» stated the First Deputy Speaker Oleksandr Korniienko.
Oleksandr Korniienko acknowledged the efforts of international partners who assisted in mitigating the consequences of the disaster. He also expressed regret that Chernobyl remains under threat.
As part of the visit, the First Deputy Speaker joined the meeting of the Temporary Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (TSC) on strengthening social protection for citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster and the use of radioactive-contaminated territories.
The TSC was established in April 2025 to address the following tasks:
Prepare proposals to improve legislation in the area of social protection for those who participated in the liquidation of the Chernobyl disaster consequences.
Examine the state of compliance with legislation concerning the registration of residence in settlements located in the zones of mandatory (unconditional) evacuation and guaranteed voluntary evacuation, as well as prepare legislative initiatives to prevent such violations.
Develop measures to improve the mechanism for determining and reviewing the boundaries of zones affected by radioactive contamination due to the Chernobyl disaster, and assign settlements to the appropriate zones.
Develop measures to counter the illegal use of radiation-hazardous lands, including for agricultural production and other products.
«Many issues regarding the exclusion zone and the people living there remain unresolved. All these issues must be addressed, and we are actively working on this, including through the Temporary Special Commission,» emphasized Oleksandr Korniienko. According to him, the Commission should become a platform for discussing all the relevant problems.
The TSC meeting began with the awarding of Chernobyl liquidators and workers with honors from the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Heads of all-Ukrainian organizations representing and defending the interests of Chernobyl disaster victims were presented with letters of gratitude from the Ukrainian Parliament's Ombudsman.
During the meeting, the participants discussed pressing issues, particularly the use of contaminated lands and the fairness of compensation payments for those affected by the Chernobyl disaster.
Chairman of the TSC, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Policy and International Cooperation, Arsenii Pushkarenko, stated that approximately 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens are recognized as affected by the Chernobyl disaster. «Current legislation needs changes, as it does not reflect the realities of today. The main goal of our TSC is to develop appropriate legislative solutions,» said Arsenii Pushkarenko.
At the next meeting of the Parliamentary TSC, issues related to the verification and identification of citizens living in areas contaminated by the Chernobyl disaster and entitled to compensation payments will be raised.